17 Fun and Unusual Calendars to Put Up Next Year

The new year is sneaking up once again, and that means it's time for a new calendar. Sure, you could go with a free one you got in the mail, but why not keep track of time in a more interesting way? These calendars will get you pumped for the changing months ahead.

1. I COULD PEE ON THIS; $11

It turns out cats make pretty good poets. Francesco Marciuliano’s book, I Could Pee on This and Other Poems by Cats, is a great collection of poems from the viewpoint of housecats. Now you can get these felines' verses in calendar form. Each month features a different cat and a corresponding poetic masterpiece.

2. UNDERWATER DOGS; $15

Photographer Seth Casteel is known for his shots of dogs jumping into bodies of water to fetch balls and other items. It turns out all those jowls and extra skin look pretty funny when pushed up by the water. This 18-month calendar comes with 12 amazing shots of wide-eyed dogs underwater.

3. LIL BUB; $12

It’s no secret that mental_floss loves Lil Bub. The funny little cat has been named "nature's happiest accident," and sports the most irresistible mug in the animal kingdom. This calendar comes with plenty of cute pictures of the slack-tongued feline, as well as some fun stickers to stick on your books, folders, and friends.

4. THIS IS GUACWARD; $8

Looking for a little honesty from your calendar? New York-based illustrator David Olenick has got you covered. His new calendar is filled with delightful drawings sharing some harsh, albeit true sentiments. The simplistic designs are perfect for the realist in your life.

7. SPACE CATS; $10-$15

Evidence the world is a beautiful place: You have multiple options when shopping for the perfect space cat calendar. Choose between TF Publishing’s hallucinogenic and seasonal calendar, or Rock Point’s more straightforward alternative. Either way, you win with cats flying through space.

8. AWKWARD FAMILY PHOTOS; $12

The novelty blog Awkward Family Photos has been around for a long time and with good reason. These real family portraits are equal parts awkward and hilarious, reminding you that it’s okay to laugh at your own blunder years. Curators Mike Bender and Doug Chernack share some extra cringe-worthy photos for this day-to-day calendar.

12. SLOTHS; $11

Sloths are seriously cute. You can have the cuteness all year round with this second-annual sloth calendar. Zoologist Lucy Cooke shares some of the most adorable sloth pictures out there for your monthly enjoyment.

13. THE OLD FARMER’S ALMANAC; $10

If you’re a fan of mental_floss, then you’re definitely a fan of cool facts. The Old Farmer’s Almanac calendar is filled with just that. Learn the answers to pressing questions like: How fast can an ostrich run? And why are cashews never sold in the shell? On top of important trivia, you also get folklore, tips, quotes, proverbs, and puzzles.

14. HYPERBOLE AND A HALF; $10

Beloved cartoon artist and writer Allie Brosh is back again with a calendar featuring some of her charming illustrations and comics. The calendar features some of the best material and characters from Hyperbole and a Half.

15. FUN PUGS; $11

Pugs are already fun but wait until you see them Photoshopped into seasonal scenes. From a fancy date in February to dressing up in October, the situations these pugs find themselves in are pretty adorable. The 12 month calendar features 12 pugs that you definitely don’t want to miss.

LEGO produces roughly 19 billion elements each year [PDF], and until recently, most of those bricks, minifigures, and accessories were made using oil. Now, the toy company has announced that it's experimenting with more sustainable production methods for certain items. As Mashable reports, the company will start selling 'botanical' pieces made from real plants this year.

To craft the new type of material, LEGO is sourcing sugarcane from Brazil. The crops are grown on agricultural land rather than former rainforests, and the sourcing has received the stamp of approval from the Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance, an organization that encourages corporations to make sustainable, plant-based plastics.

Making LEGO parts from sugarcane results in a softer plastic, so the new method will only be used to make plant pieces like leaves, bushes, and trees for now. The bioplastic botanicals will start appearing in LEGO boxes this year and become standard by the end of 2018.

“The LEGO Group’s decision to pursue sustainably sourced bio-based plastics represents an incredible opportunity to reduce dependence on finite resources," Alix Grabowski, a senior program officer at the World Wildlife Fund, said in a release from LEGO.

Though the switch will reduce the company's carbon footprint, the bioplastic botanicals still only make up of a small fraction of their total product line. LEGO says the change represents one step in its mission to use sustainable materials in core products and packaging by 2030.

You know St. Patrick's Day falls on the 17th of March. And you probably know how many green beers is too many green beers for you to consume. But do you know how many boys born in Ireland are named Patrick each year? Or how many people travel to Ireland to celebrate the holiday each March? The folks at RewardExpert, a website dedicated to helping travelers find the best frequent flyer and travel credit card reward programs for their lifestyle, do. And they've gathered it all together in one handy infographic, just in time for the big day.